User blog:HallOfFame/Black Wiki Mirror - "SUPERB"
Episode One. "SUPERB" At a press conference, reporters and business executives await at the main SUPERB meeting hall. The event is televised as a woman by the name of Camille walks to a glass podium on the main stage. Before her is an eager audience and a holographic teleprompter with her speech. Camille: Welcome everyone. It is an honor to be here on the 15th anniversary of when SUPERB, the world’s leading automotive service, was launched. Since the launch, innovation has been our main priority, effectively offering a service unmatched by competitors. Being the Chief Information Officer, it is my duty to maintain innovative growth in our research labs. And for the 15th anniversary, we wanted to offer the unthinkable: a driverless car service. As of today, the traditional style will be replaced by foolproof, safety-guaranteed, and perfect cars. Throughout North America, 50 thousand cars will be available to pick you up from your location and effectively bring you to your destination in the fastest and safest routes possible. The shot is transitioned to Camille speaking on a television screen in the living room of Sarah, a 30 year old woman. Dressed in sweats, she is watching Camille give her speech, annoyed. Camille: While the error of human imperfection is eliminated, fear not about our hard-working drivers. Each one was given a departure package that will cover their financial needs for up to 18 months. Sarah: What a load of shit. Mute TV. The TV is muted while Camille continues to speak. Wandy, Sarah’s roommate, looks over the kitchen counter. Wandy: Hey, why did you mute that? She’s barely said anything. Sarah: She’s said enough. Those sorry ass departure packages barely cover three months. I’ve spent 12 years at SUPERB only to be fired with a week’s notice. Wandy: Technically you were laid off. Sarah: Same shit. Still unemployed. I’ve worked there since I graduated high school. Never went to college. Haven’t worked anywhere else. The cost of living is way too high for someone like me, and I’m fucking getting replaced by machines. And the thing is no one cares. Wandy: Look I understand, but the technology speaks for itself. I just finished my research paper on the launch of SUPERB’s driverless service and it’s objectively flawless. The possibility of a car crash is 0.02 percent. These cars map out the routes with accurate algorithms... Wandy and Sarah in unison: to ensure you get to your destination as fast and safe as possible. Sarah: Yeah, you’re a broken record at this point. Your hard-on for Camille has got you talking like her too. Wandy: What can I say? I admire her mind. Sarah: That’s all it is. Her mind is so full of numbers and codes, she has no room for compassion. Wandy: It’s not her fault you put all your eggs into one basket. Unmute TV. The TV’s sound turns back on to Camille answering questions from the audience as Wandy takes a seat on the couch. Sarah gets up to go to bed. In bed, she’s looking at a live feed on her tablet of people raving about the driverless cars announcement. In frustration, she gets off her bed and goes to her desk, turning the lamp on. She then searches up ‘job postings’, only to receive millions of results. Sarah: I don’t even know where to start. The next morning, Sarah is making coffee, while Wandy hurries around the apartment. Wandy: Is the coffee ready? Coffee machine: 4 minutes and 29 seconds until fresh brew. Sarah: 4 minutes, 29 seconds. Although you probably don’t need it. You seem wide awake. Wandy: I overslept and can’t miss this interview. I’ve spent the entire semester working towards this moment. Sarah: Yeah, I was thinking...you don’t think it’s too late for me to, like...go to school? Wandy: No, no it’s never too late. If you’re thinking of enrolling, I can give you a tour of my campus. Maybe get you an appointment with an advisor. Sarah: Yeah, that would be amazing. Thank you. Where’s your appointment, anyways? Wandy: Uhh...it’s over at Hamilton Square. It’s for a summer internship at the innovation labs...at SUPERB. Sarah: What? Wandy: I...I told you about this like a month ago. Sarah: Yeah, along with 50 other tech companies you applied for. Wandy: You told me it would be great for both of us to work at SUPERB. Sarah: That’s when I used to work there, and it was just to be nice. You know they’re full of shit right? They don’t value their employees. Wandy: Look, I’m sorry you got the short end of the stick, but these cars… Sarah: ...are full of shit too. There is no way they can guarantee never getting into a crash. Wandy: With 99.8% accuracy. The testing has been done and will continue to be done. Sarah: Driverless cars aren’t perfect! It’s just a machine. It’s cold, and lifeless, and won’t care about you as a passenger. And what if someone hacks into one and steals it? Wandy: The system is impenetrable. Sarah: Nothing is impenetrable. Coffee machine: Coffee ready. Wandy rushes to make herself a cup. Sarah: That’s it. Wandy: What’s it? Sarah: You’ve been studying these cars all semester, right? Wandy: I know them like the back of my hand. Sarah: Then you’ll help me prove that they’re not perfect. I’m assuming you ordered one to take you to the interview, right? Wandy: I...didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to be upset but… Sarah: Then we’ll hack into the car and prove SUPERB wrong. Wandy: Why in the hell would I do that? Wandy’s phone pings, and she opens up an email. Wandy: Great, my interview was postponed. Looks like I should cancel the SUPERB. Sarah: No! Don’t! Treat it like an experiment. Isn’t it a requirement of a theory that it is open to be disproven? Wandy: Someone did some light reading last night. Uh, yeah...typically experiments are open for cross examination to see if they can be proven false. But like I said, these cars have been tested to be unhackable. Sarah: They just haven’t met the Great Wandy. Wandy and Sarah walk out of their apartment building and see a car pulled up with the SUPERB logo on the side. There is no driver present. Wandy opens the door and gets inside, followed by Sarah. Another passenger, a young 20-something with earphones in, is sitting. Sarah: Wait, you ordered a SUPERB Pool? Wandy: I’m a starving student without a job. Sue me. Jo: Where do you study? Wandy: CalTech. Jo: No way. I thought you looked familiar. Wandy: Do we have a class together? Jo: No, I work at the coffee shop near the quad. Or...I will be until the end of the month. Sarah: What happens at the end of the month? Jo: The school is expanding their self-service coffee stations to be in every building. Sarah: You’re getting replaced by robots too? Jo: Yeah. Kinda sucks but I can’t blame them. Technology man. It’s pretty amazing. Sarah: But aren’t you upset? Jo: Why would I? It makes life easier. Sarah: It puts you out of a job. Jo: I can just find another one. Sarah: Look I don’t care. Machines aren’t perfect. And it’s time to prove it. Wandy… Wandy: I… Sarah: You said you wanted to do the experiment. Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts. Wandy: It could just take a while and I don’t have the money for that. Sarah: Then figure out a way to turn that off first. Jo: Um, what are you talking about? Sarah: We’re going to prove that these cars can be hacked into. There is just as much of a safety risk as if there was someone driving the car. As Wandy pulls up her laptop, Sarah attempts to get in the driver’s “seat” (no seat actually exists). She attempts to steer the wheel, with an alarm coming on. Car system: Please do not try to adjust the wheel. Sarah: Testy... Jo: I thought the whole idea is that no human is allowed to drive the car. Wandy: It is… Jo: Why are you even trying to hack the car? Are you one of those old-timers that is resistant to technological advancement? Sarah: I’m barely in my 30s. Jo: Riiiight. The car continues driving with Wandy typing away at her keyboard and Sarah looking at all the upgrades to the car. Car system: 5 minutes until destination. Jo: Looks like that’s my stop. I have a shift at the coffee shop but since I’m getting fired soon, I might as well see how this Mission Impossible shit goes. Wandy: I...I’m in the SUPERB mainframe. Sarah: What? Wandy: Yeah. It’s surprisingly easy through the account I made when I was applying on their site. Sarah: So what does this mean? Wandy: If I can move through the firewall and enter their scheduling database, I can pretty much find our route and manipulate it to my liking. Jo: Manipulate it how? Wandy: Well if I manage to get there in the next 4 minutes, I can make this little trip to CalTech free for you. Sarah: Can you also redirect the next trip to Hamilton Square? Like, change the course? Wandy: I can try. Sarah: And just like that, all you need is an account on their jobs site. Sarah continues to look at the controls on the car. It is a massive upgrade from the car SUPERB gave her to drive, which she ultimately had to return when she left. She feels cold and tries to adjust the air conditioning, but before she can, an outline of her body appears on the display. A message appears that the car tracked her discomfort and adjusted the air conditioning accordingly. Sarah: What the fuck? Jo: We’re almost on campus. Sarah: Any luck moving passed that firewall? Wandy: Just trying to find a window...and...I’m in! Car system: Pulling up to destination. Jo: Come on girl, I need that free ride. Wandy: Looking through the active rides now. Sarah: How long until you find ours? Wandy: Not long but there is triple, even quadruple the normal amount of rides. Jo: Looks like everyone wanted to try out the driverless feature. Sarah: More like everyone decided to get brainwashed by SUPERB. Wandy: Ok, you need to bring the bitterness down because…I found it! As the car begins to slow down into the parking lot, Wandy types furiously. Wandy: And...transaction...cancelled. Sarah: Fuck yes! Jo: Oh my God, you did it! Wandy: So, the next trip is slated for Hamilton Square. Unless I interfere it in the next 30 seconds, it’ll start moving there on its own. Where should we go? Sarah: Let’s take it to Hamilton Square. Right to SUPERB. But avoid the freeway. I want this trip to be slow. Jo: Ooh, can we make a stop at Pinkberry? Wandy: I’m down. Wandy hacks into the car’s system to outline the route to follow, managing its steering capabilities as well. The car begins to pull out of the parking lot, but a cyclist suddenly appears behind it. Suddenly, the car stops, overriding Wandy’s control, to avoid hitting him. The three girls are nudged from the stop. Sarah: What just happened? Wandy: The car just stopped. It must’ve detected the cyclist. Jo: But I thought you had control. Wandy: I do but its anti-collision functions took priority. The car will not crash under any circumstances. Sarah: Whatever...let’s just go. As long as you still have control. Wandy continues to steer through her laptop as the car heads on the road. The girls go on a joyride in the SUPERB car through the city. Several other SUPERRB vehicles are driving, all of them without a driver. Sarah, from the “driver’s seat”, waves at the passengers in a nearby car. Sarah: Let’s take a right here. Wandy adjusts the route to include the right turn. Close up to her laptop as we see the car driving in realtime on a map. Continuing through cyberspace, we transition to the same route on a monitor in a SUPERB tracking facility. A scientist, notices this map due to a red alert light attached to it. Scientist: What the...but that’s not possible… Scientist 2: What’s the matter? Scientist 1: This route from CalTech to Hamilton Square is twice as long as it should be. Unauthorized turns are being done. Scientist 2: But our steering wheels are locked so no one can move them. Scientist 1: I know… The scientist gets up and heads over to Camille’s office, knocking on the door. Camille: Come in. Scientist: Sorry to disrupt you ma’am… Camille: No you’re not disrupting me. What’s going on? Scientist: There’s something you need to see. Camille joins the scientist back to his station and notices the unauthorized access to the car’s route. Camille: Who ordered this car? Scientist 2: It looks like a SUPERB Pool ordered by a woman named Jo to go to CalTech, and a woman named Wandy to go to Hamilton Square. Camille: Why does that Wandy name sound familiar? Scientist 1: Didn’t she have an interview with us today? She applied to be one your summer interns. Camille: Yes...I had her interview cancelled because of the launch, if it’s the same last name. Camille looks at the log and notices something. Camille: It seems as though the transaction for the CalTech trip was cancelled by us right as it reached the destination… Camille slams her hands on the table. Camille: She breached our system. Scientist 2: How is that even possible? Camille: No...I remember her resume. Her transcript is remarkable. She sent a sample of her term paper that was about our driverless service. Pull up the video-conferencing. I want to have a word with her. Scientist 1 types on his keyboard and opens up a video chat call. Switch to the girls in the car as they are pulling up into Pinkberry. Sarah and Jo get out. Wandy: I’ll stay back just in case. Sarah: You sure you don’t want anything? Wandy: And ruin this summer body? Sarah rolls her eyes and heads inside with Jo. Just then, a video call comes in through the display. Wandy, reluctant to answer, hides her laptop on the floor. Adjusting herself, she answers the call and sees Camille’s face appear. Camille: Hello. Wandy: Uh...hi. You’re… Camille: I know who I am. And I know who you are. You’re a pretty brilliant woman, Wandy. Only 19 and already a prospect for a CalTech Masters. I do apologize for postponing our interview today. Looks like that didn’t stop you from making your way to Hamilton Square, however. Wandy: Um...I… Camille: I need to know that we’re on the same page. SUPERB has spent a lot of time and money into ensuring that the next generation of driving is an impeccable one. We’ve changed the face of driving as we know it, and we will not tolerate anyone coming in the way of that. Wandy: I’m not sure I’m following. Camille: Your car isn’t moving dear. Which leaves me with two options. One: your car ran out of gas, which is impossible because our vehicles are equipped with a week’s supply of gas and it is only the second day of the driverless service. Or two: you’ve managed to use that CalTech brain and got into our mainframe. Sarah returns to the car window. Sarah: So...I just realized I didn’t bring my credit card and Jo doesn’t have hers on her. She notices Wandy talking to someone on the video chat. Camille: I hope you understand that the consequences of grand larceny and cyber terrorism are very serious. Sarah: Cyber terrorism? What the hell are you talking about? Camille: I’m sorry, who are you? Wandy: Look, I didn’t mean any harm. This was just an experiment… Camille: You’ve spent the entire semester researching our technology and you are interested in working for us. I’m now very interested in what your true intentions are. Who are you working for? Jo has also made it back to the car, confused by what’s holding Sarah. Sarah: We’re not working for anyone. I’m one of the thousands of employees you kicked to the curb in favor of these pieces of junk that was quote on quote unhackable. Well, guess what? We just hacked it, proving our experiment to be a success. Bye bitch. Sarah reaches over to hang up the call. Camille: Before you hang up, I want you to know that the police has been alerted, and that we will ensure that the full punishment is administered if you do not vacate the vehicle immediately. Sarah hangs up the call as Jo gets inside the car too. Jo: What the hell are we going to do? Wandy begins to breath heavily, beginning a panic attack. Sarah: Look, breathe, Wandy, breathe. She’s bluffing. Her ego was hit because her precious toy isn’t so perfect. Wandy: You don’t understand...I just ruined my life. And for what? Sarah: It will be worth it when we show everyone. Wandy: Look, I can’t be arrested. Ok? I’ll get deported so fucking quick. Jo: What? Wandy: I’m a DACA kid. And if I get arrested, especially on cyber terrorism charges… Sarah: No one’s getting arrested. Suddenly, police sirens are heard as three cop cars come near Pinkberry. Wandy: This is it… Sarah: It isn’t. Drive. Wandy: What? Sarah: You heard me. We’ll prove it to everyone. This will have been worth it. Steer the car. Right to Hamilton Square. Wandy picks up her laptop and re-routes the car, getting it moving. The movement is spotted on the tracking monitors at SUPERB, angering Camille. Scientist 1: They’re not stupid enough to get into a police chase. Camille: Fucking hell...stop them. Scientist 1: I can’t. Wandy has control. Camille: Override her! Scientist 1: ...she already closed the firewall window. Camille: Then find another fucking window! The girls are in the car, zooming past car after as the police continues to go after them. By now, all eyes are on them as the news begins reporting on a hacked SUPERB car. Camille: Didn’t anyone think to make sure this didn’t get news coverage?! Switch back to Sarah in the front seat, looking at the live feed on her phone. Sarah: Everyone’s talking about us! I told you they’d see. Jo: Yeah, but most of them are hating us for stealing the car. They’re saying that we’re the reason people can’t have nice things. Sarah: The Internet is a cesspool for criticism. As long as they see that the cars aren’t perfect. Wandy: Why? To mend your own bruised ego? Sarah: That’s not what this is about. Wandy: Yes it is. I’m sorry you got fired but you need to fucking get over it. This is the world we live in. Maybe if you stopped focusing on Camille’s ego and worried about your own… Jo: She kind of has a point. Wandy: And it’s a huge fucking point. Sarah: I just want everyone to understand that machines… Sarah and Wandy in unison: can’t replace humans. Wandy: Now who’s the broken record? We’re all going to jail just because we hacked into a car. Big fucking deal. Everyone will still use the driverless service because it is fast and safe. Sarah: Not if we prove it isn’t. Wandy: What are you talking about? Sarah: If we cause the car to crash it’ll solve both our problems. Jo: Now you fucking lost me. Sarah: Everyone would see that these cars aren’t perfectly safe, and SUPERB would be too worried about a lawsuit than to arrest you. Wandy: You’re banking on a lot there. Sarah: Let’s do it. Wandy: This is not the hill to die on. And I mean literally to die on. Sarah: Not a huge accident. Just like a fender-bender. Try to hit that mailbox over there. Wandy: No! Sarah: Wandy! Wandy: I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Look. Wandy attempts to steer the car onto the sidewalk, however the car refuses to get off the road. Wandy: See? The police, right on their tail, turn on their speakers. Police: Pull over the vehicle immediately. The car hears this message and begins to comply as it is obligated to. Sarah: What’s happening? Wandy: The car is complying with the officer and pulling over. Maybe I should let it. Sarah: After this, you are going to have tech companies begging for you to work for them. Do you understand that? The world will see how brilliant you are. Jo: There’s actually a huge following online supporting you, Wandy. They’re fed up with companies prioritizing robots over people. Sarah: Give the people what they want. Wandy looks at Sarah, and shakes her head smirking. Wandy: If I’m going to jail, I might as well go out in a bang. She overrides the compliance on her laptop and the car goes faster than before. Switch to the tracking station where the scientists are furiously trying to gain control of the car. Camille: Status? Scientist 2: She’s overridden the compliance. We have no idea what her game is. Camille: Have you found a way to get back in? Scientist 1: We can’t get in...but we can kick her out. Camille: Meaning? Scientist 1: Well then the car will get its autonomous control back and will reroute to make its way to Hamilton Square as fast as possible. Camille: Why haven’t you done it already? Scientist 1: Well the cops won’t know that she won’t be controlling the car anymore. We have no control over what they do. Camille: That’s not our problem. Shut her down. The scientist returns to his keyboard and locks Wandy out of the mainframe. Back to the car, Wandy is also typing away on her laptop. Wandy: There’s just no way I can get the car to get a fender bender. I’ve tried everything. Sarah: There has to be something… Wandy: Wait...I’ve been kicked out of the system… Jo: What does that mean? Wandy types furiously, confused. Sarah: Wandy! Wandy: SUPERB locked me out. The car’s gonna move on its own again. Sarah, defeated, shakes her head. Sarah: So that’s it? The car continues to move with the cops chasing them. News helicopters are capturing the chase while people are interviewed about the situation. Some are against the girls, but many are for them. Suddenly another cop car comes to cross the car from the front. As the car is rerouting, the girls scream as they collide headfirst into the cop car. Because Sarah is in the “driver’s seat” and has no seat belt, she is thrown through the windshield and onto the road on her back. A shocked crowd forms as they see Sarah’s unresponsive body, glass and blood covering her face. Closing up into her eye, we transition into her in the passenger seat of a SUPERB car in a closed facility. Her face looks fine, and she is dressed in a helmet and body padding. A SUPERB employee outside of the car countdowns from 3 as the driverless car begins driving on a track at top speed. Simulated distractions, such as other vehicles and pedestrians, interfere, with the car avoiding each one. At the end of the test, Sarah gets out, and the testers cheer, with Wandy coming onto the track. Wandy: And that is currently the fastest test we’ve done. Anti-collision at 160 miles per hour. Success. Sarah and Wandy chuckle as Sarah takes her helmet off. Sarah: I promise you...this never gets old. Sarah and Wandy are at the cafeteria eating lunch. Sarah: So, what’s on the agenda today? Wandy: Um, well those testings were it for today. I’m meeting up with Jo to introduce her to my academic advisor. You know, she could probably meet with you today too. Sarah: Why do I need to school? I already have a job. Sarah chuckles as Wandy shoves her. Wandy: Ok seriously...I know SUPERB managed to get you a job as their crash test dummy… Sarah: Crash test technician, thank you. Wandy: But they also gave you enough from that collision settlement so you can go to school. Jo’s using hers on her tuition. Sarah: Yeah, and I do want to go to school. I just need to explore my options. I don’t think CalTech is the school for me. Wandy nods in approval, smiling. Wandy: Hey, I heard a rumor about Camille. Sarah: What? Wandy whispers in Sarah’s ear, with Sarah’s eyes widening in response. Sarah: Shut up. Wandy: Seriously! Sarah: Then why is she so tense all the time? Wandy and Sarah laugh as we pan out from the SUPERB building. Category:Blog posts